Mars 2013

Between 01 – 28. February 2013, the Austrian Space Forum – in partnership with the Ibn Battuta Center in Marrakesh – conducted an integrated Mars analog field simulation in the northern Sahara near Erfoud, Morocco in the framework of the PolAres research programme. Directed by a Mission Support Center in Austria, a small field crew conducted experiments preparing for future human Mars missions mainly in the fields of engineering, planetary surface operations, astrobiology, geophysics/geology, life sciences and other.

Mission goals

an opportunity to study equipment behavior involving the simultaneous usage of instruments with the option of a human-in-the-loop (via the Aouda.X/.S spacesuit),

a platform for testing life-detection or geophysical techniques, performing terrain tests
for rovers and test concepts for high situational awareness of remote support teams

serving as an outreach platform to enhance the visibility of planetary sciences and human spaceflight.

Series of engineering tests w.r.t. communication, trafficability and materials

MAT/EP

Medical University of Innsbruck, AT

routine medical survey during OEWF field campaigns; includes a field incident reporting system

Geosciences

University of Budapest, HU
University Innsbruck, AT

Geoscience remote science support experiments; includes the management of all geophysical and astrobiological research activities.

ANTIPODES

Kiwispace, NZ

Communication experiment with Kiwispace, NZ – testing the experiment guidance over to an external Mission Support Center during an ongoing experiment.

Complimentary experiments

Peniculus

University of Innsbruck, AT

A student experiment, devised at the University of Innsbruck during the summer 2012 “Unicamp”. One solar panel will be swept by a brush once a day, whereas the other will accumulate a fine layer of dust.

Distance measurement “Yellow Box”

FH Mittweida

Using a high frequency signal emited by a base station, the signal travel time is measured to calculate the distance to the receiver. This could be used for a triangulation method to determine the location of a field unit.

OPS Box “White”

Intarsico Design

The classical base station for receiving the telemetry of the Aouda spacesuits has been expanded by an ergonomic design variant.